Opening new lines of communication Internet telephone system provider hopes to piggyback marketing efforts of corporate giants
by Philip Raphael, Staff Reporter
February 11, 2006
As a pair of giants in the communications industryâ Telus and Shaw Communications Inc., begin to lock horns and cross over into each other's traditional territory, a small Richmond firm is hoping to pick up more than just the scraps.
Run by three business partners, Voxter Communications (www.voxter.ca) is focusing its efforts on servicing the telecommunications needs of small to medium-sized businesses with its Voice Over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, system.
VoIP is an emerging technology that uses an Internet connection rather than a traditional telephone line. Providers tout its low-cost long distance rates as one of its biggest appeals.
And since some of the leading VoIP companies, such as Vonage, are marketing their services mostly to residential users, Voxter is targeting the business client who requires multiple phone lines and can better take advantage of the added features VoIP can deliver in office settings.
Chris Johnston, who along with Dayton Turner and Robyn Lau started up Voxter last year, said they are not concerned about carving out a niche in the VoIP market when much larger players in the market are involved. In fact, they are hoping the widespread and costly marketing the bigger companies conduct to reach residential users will work in their favour and allow them to get their foot in the door.
"Some of the business people who may have already been exposed to VoIP coming into their homes may be more familiar with the system and be more accepting about using it in their own office." Johnston said.
And what are the advantages?
Johnston, 28, said long distance rates of around two cents a minute to far-flung and usually costly phone destinations such as Australia, Europe and the United Kingdom, and available no-cost long distance to the United States are just the start.
Business partner Turner, 26, added some advanced features VoIP provides can help make employees more productive.
"For example, if an employee has a Bluetooth (wireless capable) cell phone our system can sense if that employee has left their desk and then forward an incoming call directly to their cell phone," he said. "We keep telling our customers to forget the notion of having a phone call coming in on 'line one' With VoIP, you have a call coming in that can find you."
Low conference calling rates is another big draw. So is the cost of buying the required VoIP equipment and service charges.
"We had one client who was paying about $1,000 a month just on long distance calls and their (toll free) 1-800 number," Turner said. "They were also paying about $100 to set up their conference calls, and then, depending on the number of people they had on the line, as much as $1 per minute."
Johnston said his service runs between $40 to $60 per month for each required phone line, while the hardware that runs the system is about $3,000 to $5,000.
Similar systems from bigger, brand name suppliers can carry price tags upwards of $20,000.
Since the service was launched last December, following a five-month pilot project installed at a local real estate firm, Voxter has a handful of paying customers.
Some are Vancouver-based businesses, while two others are located in Costa Rica.
"We can go into pretty much anywhere where there is an Internet connection and set up a system for a client," Johnston said, adding some personal connections with Voxter and the overseas clients helped seal those deals.
But it's the ability for the company to cross international boundaries that gives them broad scope and great potential, Turner said.
Yet, overcoming the fact that VoIP is still a new technology, and not readily welcomed or completely understood, by the masses is a factor Voxter and similar companies still have to contend with.
"Customers don't want to be the first ones to use this and then fall flat on their faces," Turner said.
That's why Voxter is attempting to dispel misconceptions about their VoIP system, which includes a back-up analog telephone connection that allows communication if the Internet system failsâ an important point since some VoIP systems do not have access to 911 emergency phone services.
Voxter also provides battery back-up power for the equipment and an array of cordless handsets that do not tie users down to their computers.
With potential clients going through an educational process now, Johnston said he envisions a future, five to 10 years from now when VoIP will be used by a majority of users.
"You're going to find just about everyone moving over to Internet providers because the systems are cheaper and have more features, some of which they haven't even thought about because they were limited by the old style telephone line."
About Voxter
Voxter Communications delivers Voice over IP (VoIP) products and services to businesses at a tremendous cost savings. VoIP has proven to be a reliable and cost effective alternative to traditional telephone systems. Voxter has established a client base throughout North and Central America, with its head offices based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
www.voxter.ca
Contact:
(604) 629-8647 ext 103
press@voxter.ca
